Confessions of a Pregnant Dietitian: 2nd Trimester

26 weeks through pregnancy! I can’t believe it. In just 3 short months we’ll get to meet this tiny little creature that’s been growing inside me, which is beyond exciting!! Things have undoubtedly improved in the 2^nd trimester. I can tolerate my normal prenatal vitamin again, veggies aren’t repulsive, and I’ve been able to exercise regularly because I have some energy back and best of all… I can brush my tongue without dry heaving. Life is good!! We've had a lot of fun these past months. A few weekend trips and an unforgettable gender reveal party where we found out we'll be having a boy!! 

Surprise!! The inside of the cake was BLUE! 

Despite all the improvements and the fun of feeling our baby move and grow, I do find myself yearning for normalcy. Not only that, there’s some things about pregnancy that are not how I expected them to be! So, once again, here are my confessions….

Confession #1 – Body Image:  My confidence is not soaring. I thought I’d love every part of growing a cute little belly. I honestly thought pregnancy would be an amazing break from maintaining an appropriate “dietitian body”…all it has done has shifted to wanting the perfect pregnancy body! The fact is, even though my weight gain has been completely on track, I am not “all belly.” Gotta love good ol’ genetics here. My lower back/sides have gained some surface area as well. This is the same spot that has always been the first place I gain weight and the last place I lose it, even before I was pregnant. I’m sure every woman out there is gaining weight differently and dealing with newfound areas of their body to obsess about during this fun time. Ah, the joys of pregnancy.  So, using my professional experience to trouble shoot, this is what I’ve done to help boost my confidence.

·      Exercise. I know I can’t target my lovely muffin top and since weight gain is a necessity right now, I can’t depend on “overall weight loss” to slim down those hips, so I’ve found great comfort in knowing I can make my arms look great and focus my efforts on getting some lift in my butt as opposed to obsessing about the parts of my body that I don’t like so much right now. Walking also completely lifts my mood and boosts my body image. Plus the benefits of exercise for my baby and me during pregnancy are endless!

·      Belly photos. Seeing the “right” spot gradually grow makes it all worth it. I love picturing our little guy getting bigger and healthier. If you’re not up for doing these bare belly, pick out an outfit you feel great in each week to snap the shot! No need to add insult to injury here ;)

·      Appropriate weight gain. It makes me feel so much better to know that every pound I’ve gained is important. Doctors typically give a blanket statement about what your total weight gain range should be (for example 25-35 lbs if you started your pregnancy at a normal weight). Make sure you ask them what the actual rate of weight gain should be as well (or feel free to email me, I’d be happy to help you figure it out, all I would need is your pre-pregnancy weight, height and how far along you are!). By knowing your goal rate, you can keep an eye on your progress week-by-week instead of heading to an appointment after 4 weeks of not seeing your doctor only to be told that you don’t have much more room to gain (which is a tough spot to be in because weight gain is expected to be more rapid in the third trimester!) Having a nutrition plan for pregnancy is very helpful if you’re struggling with appropriate weight gain. Ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian or check out our nutrition services during pregnancy.

Confession #2- Cravings:  I thought I was so lucky during the first trimester because sweets sounded terrible to me. Well, I have a newfound sweet tooth. For some reason, only after dinner, I have this incredible urge to have something sweet. Before I was better prepared with some options in the house, I would beg my poor husband to go out and get me ice cream or something of the sort. So, I’ve done my due diligence to find a treat that I can somewhat justify as a nutritionally sound and worthy indulgence. My go to has been the Yoplait Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars.  My favorite flavor is the honey caramel (90 Calories, 1.5 g fat, 13 g sugar and 4 g protein per bar --- added bonus of 15% daily value of calcium and has probiotics!) There are plenty of other products out there that could fit the bill, just spend some time looking at labels and trying new stuff! You never know what will actually end up fulfilling the craving! And yes, sometimes it is absolutely okay to just indulge in the fatty, sugary stuff! Just don’t make it a staple.

Confession #3- Normalcy: Alcohol, caffeine and few high risk foods are a small price to pay for the bundle of joy we’re expecting to welcome in January. However, food and beverage industry, I am VERY disappointed in you!! I honestly thought I’d be fine sipping water while my girlfriends indulged in wine. I was there to spend time with them, right? The wine shouldn’t matter at all. Well, I’ve come to find that it’s not the alcohol part of the wine that I miss. I miss the taste and the general idea of it.  There are a few non-alcoholic wines and beers out there, but the non-carbonated, serve at room-temperature alcohol free wines are nearly impossible to find. And forget about having a glass at a restaurant… they are much more likely to cater to people with food allergies these days than a pregnant woman.  But, rest assured, it is now my life’s mission to change this. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. Oh! I should give an honorable mention to Starbucks. If it wasn’t for your decaf lattes, I don’t think anything would make me feel normal right now!! I owe my sanity to you!! (And yes, I know some of you will want to point out that there is, in fact, some caffeine in decaf espresso- studies showed 3-16 mg per shot of decaf espresso and I’m totally fine with that!).

I can’t believe we’re nearing the final stretch! To all you websites and women out there that emphasize enjoying the 2^nd trimester because it all gets worse again in the third, thank you for scaring the pants off of me. I can only imagine what’s to come.